Platform Software Developer - 2026 New Grads

Ciena•Atlanta, GA

2d•$69,900 - $111,700

About The Position

As the global leader in high-speed connectivity, Ciena is committed to a people-first approach. Our teams enjoy a culture focused on prioritizing a flexible work environment that empowers individual growth, well-being, and belonging. We’re a technology company that leads with our humanity—driving our business priorities alongside meaningful social, community, and societal impact. Ciena is seeking highly motivated new graduates to contribute to the platform software that powers its optical networking systems. This role plays a key part in building reliable, high-performance embedded software that enables scalable and secure global communications. The position offers exposure to complex systems development within a collaborative engineering environment.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering OR Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field, graduating in 2026.
Application of C and C++ programming in academic or project-based software development.
Background in embedded systems development, including interaction with real-time operating systems and multi-threaded execution models.
Application of data structures, algorithms, and object-oriented design principles in software implementations.
Utilization of Linux-based development environments, including scripting with languages such as Python or Bash.
Use of software development tools including debuggers, version control systems, and automated build tools.
Demonstrated analytical, debugging, and problem-solving capabilities in a team-oriented development setting.

Nice To Haves

Exposure to networking protocols and concepts such as TCP/IP and Ethernet.
Background working with control plane or data plane software components.
Familiarity with distributed system behaviors in embedded or networking contexts.

Responsibilities

Design, implement, and debug high-performance software for real-time embedded systems used in optical networking platforms.
Collaborate with hardware, quality assurance, and system engineering teams to define software requirements and interfaces.
Develop and maintain software components spanning operating systems, drivers, control plane, and data plane functionality.
Troubleshoot and resolve complex software issues in multi-threaded and distributed environments.
Apply industry trends and emerging technologies to embedded systems and networking challenges.